By Dodo Hunziker and Dodo Hunziker

Urban Genesis

Ethiopian farmers and international architects have joined forces to tackle the problem of rural exodus. Deep in the African hinterlands, the unequal participants are building a small model town that could lead the way out of the global migration crisis. FASIL GIORGHIS, an Ethiopian star architect is engaged in research on how to sustainably manage the social transformation. 85% of Ethiopia’s population still lives as subsistence farmers, one of them being TILAHUN AYELEW. He is betting on the model city BuraNEST. At the origin of the model city is the idea of FRANZ OSWALD, a Swiss architect who now attempts to fully hand over the project to his Ethiopian partners. HELEN, an architecture student from Addis Ababa, has been following the project since her bachelor thesis.

Sections : Impact Days, Impact Days

Country : Ethiopia, Switzerland

Original languages : English, Amharic, Swiss German, German

Directors

Dodo Hunziker
Dodo Hunziker (Switzerland)

Producers

Sonja Kilbertus
Corinna Dästner
Urs schnell
Anastasia Zehnder
Corinna Dästner (Switzerland)
Urs Schnell (Switzerland)
DokLab

Completion

June 2022

Impact Statement

"Urban Genesis" highlights architecture and urban planning's role in addressing Ethiopia's rapid urbanization issues. Documenting BuraNEST, it showcases a potential solution to Ethiopia's rural-urban shift and evaluates its scalability nationwide. The film aims to inform international projects, inspire global responses to rural exodus, and foster knowledge exchange about architecture's societal impact. It targets cinema, television, and VOD audiences, with plans for collaboration with universities specializing in urban planning (like ETH/EPFL, TU Delft) and development aid NGOs, enhancing its educational and practical application.

This project aims to contribute to the worldwide understanding of how to solve issues caused by rapid urbanisation, by taking an architectural perspective on the issue.

Impact Goals

To trigger discussion within the academic world on solutions for urban development to adjust rural-urban migration (starting in Switzerland/ Europe and Ethiopia).
To raise awareness and money for investing in bottom-up urban development projects through cooperation with NGOs.
To reach out to local policy makers in Ethiopia to encourage political and structural change and to political decisionmakers in Europe and elsewhere.
To set up an educational campaign in schools in Switzerland and Ethiopia (with the possibility of expanding geographically) to show the new generation a way out of the crisis.

Impact Strategy

Establish working contact with universities and other cultural institutions (e.g. ETH Zurich, TU Delft, Addis Ababa University).
Find ambassadors in the political sphere in Ethiopia, in other countries in Africa, in Europe and in Asia who can reach out to policy makers.
Organize screenings at universities and cultural institutions in Africa, Asia.
Establish contact with NGOs working in similar fields.
Create educational material around the film, preferable in cooperation with an experienced partner.
Build a platform on social media around the film and the project.
Approach the traditional press and media in Europe and Ethiopia (radio, TV, written press etc.)
Invite NGOs to cinema premieres and share content about the film on social media.
Identify financial partners and apply for funding for an international impact campaign.

Contact

Primary contacts

Anastasia Zehnder (Switzerland): mail@doklab.com
Corinna Dästner (Switzerland): cd@doklab.com

Participants present at the Impact Days

Dodo Hunziker (Switzerland)
Corinna Dästner (Switzerland)

Existing Partners

Funders
Swiss Federal Office of Culture
Bern Film Fund
Ernst Göhner Foundation
Suisa
Suissimage
Canton of Aargau
Canton of St. Gallen

Broadcasters
SRF SRG
ZDF/ARTE

Envisaged Partners

Funders
Swiss Federal Office of Culture
Bern Film Fund
Ernst Göhner Foundation
Suisa
Suissimage
Canton of Aargau
Canton of St. Gallen

Broadcasters
SRF SRG
ZDF/ARTE